Chosen
by moogsthewriter
Summary: When two warring planets seek out one of the turtles as their Chosen One, the turtles have to fight for their freedom and their lives! Rated to be safe. COMPLETE!
1. Part 1

Okay... this is the first time I've posted a story on this site - hopefully it all goes well! I thought of this story after watching a slew of episodes - and when my brother wondered why Mikey was the most natural ninja. Anyway, here you go!

_It was hard to breathe. He gasped for air. This fight was going downhill fast. He could hardly see anymore. His weapons were shattered. He could just see the shapes of his brothers. One of them reached for him._

"_Come on, bro," Raph croaked. "We're counting on you." Suddenly a sword flashed, and Raph went silent. His hand slowly dropped back to the ground._

"No!" Mikey cried, sitting up in his bed. Clunk, who had been sleeping on his chest, meowed and jumped off. Mikey looked around. He was still in his room in the lair. According to his clock, it was three-thirty in the morning.

Clunk looked up at him with his big eyes. He meowed. "Hungry, huh?" Mikey asked. He sighed. He wasn't going to get any more sleep tonight anyway.

He slid his door open and quietly headed for the fridge. He didn't want to wake anyone up. It was to no avail. "Mikey? Are y-you okay?" Don said through a yawn. "I heard you yelling."

"I'm fine," Mikey called. "Go back to bed."

"Okay," Don replied, and headed back into his room.

Mikey poured some milk into a saucer and set it on the ground. Clunk began lapping it up. Mikey leaned against the counter. He hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep for two weeks, and he could feel it. He was a teenager, even if he was a turtle, and he needed sleep. Rubbing his neck, he went and sat on the couch. He put an old horror movie into the movie player and sat back, trying to force the troublesome dreams, and the horrible premonitions they brought, from his mind.

**Beep! Beep! Beep! **Don wearily reached for the "Off" button on his alarm clock. He needed to check on Mikey. Tossing the blankets off himself, he stretched and headed for the first floor. He frowned. The TV was on - again. That meant that Mikey hadn't been able to sleep - again. Ever since that first night over two weeks ago when Mikey'd woken up screaming like he was being murdered, Don had gotten up early to check on his brother. He vaguely remembered getting up after hearing him scream earlier that morning. Why hadn't he stayed up? Don wasn't the strongest of the turtles, but that didn't mean he didn't care or watch over them. Mikey was the fun-loving one, but he'd barely said anything the last few days, and hadn't pulled any pranks on Raph for a while, either. Don was worried.

"He's still not sleeping," said a voice from behind him, causing Don to whirl around, his bo staff in hand.

"Oh, it's you, Leo," he said. He put his bo away. "Don't scare me like that."

"Sorry," Leo replied, looking regretful.

Don sighed. "His dream last night was really bad. He was screaming again." He leaned against a pillar. "I just wish he'd tell us what's going on."

"Michelangelo has never had to deal with such problems before," said Master Splinter, emerging from his room. He leaned on his staff. "He will open up in time."

Leo watched as Don crept over to the couch, then walked back. "He's sleeping okay now," he whispered.

Splinter nodded. "Let him rest. I shall make some tea."

_Mikey was alone this time. He ran through the sewers, looking for the hidden entrance to the lair. As he pushed the brick that would open the door, a white light blinded him_. _Then he heard someone yell_.

"Hey, guys, what's for breakfast?"

His eyes popped open. He could hear Leo and Don shushing Raph. He slowly sat up. He was glad Raph had woken him up. The running through the sewers was usually the start of the nightmare.

He heard someone get slapped on the head, presumably Raph. Normally he would've laughed when someone else got slapped, because it wasn't him. But now it just brought back memories of the nightmare.

Mikey sighed. He knew when the nightmares had started - just after his Battle Nexus rematch. At first they came occasionally, and didn't bother him much. But over the last two weeks, the dreams had gotten much worse, and he didn't know why.

"Michelangelo, my son, come have some breakfast," Master Splinter called. Mikey wearily got to his feet and headed for the table.

"D'you want some eggs and bacon?" Don asked, offering a plate.

Mikey shook head. "No, thanks, I'm not hungry. I'll just have tea."

Raph's jaw dropped. He never thought he'd hear Mikey say the words "not" and "hungry" in the same sentence. And why was he drinking tea? He hated the stuff. He looked at Leo, who was just as surprised.

They sat in silence for a while, just eating and drinking. Suddenly Mikey said, "They're really bad, guys."

"What?" the others said in unison.

"The - the dreams. They're really bad," Mikey croaked. "We - we get into a fight and you - you all d - d.ie. And it's my fault."

Leo suddenly thought of the dreams he had after their last battle with Shredder. "Why do we get into a fight?" he asked gently. Mikey shrugged.

"Do you know why you're having them?" Splinter asked.

Mikey shook his head. "They started after the rematch."

"But that was a few months ago," Don said, surprised.

"I only had them every now and then. But now I've had them every night for the last two weeks. I - I'm afraid to fall asleep."

They fell silent again. Then Splinter said, "I believe I need to go back to the Battle Nexus. Perhaps the Daimyo can give me some answers."

He stood to walk out of the lair. Mikey followed him. "Sensei, wait," he said as Splinter walked out of the lair. He quickly shut the door so the others wouldn't hear. "There's something else." He pulled the wrap off of his right wrist, revealing a mark. It was a crescent shape with two slashes through it. "This showed up when the dreams got worse, I think," he said. "What's it mean?"

Splinter traced the mark with a paw. "I may - no, it can't be - but maybe…"

"What? What is it?"

"I can't say for sure," Splinter replied after a moment. "But do not show this to anyone else. Not even to your brothers. At least, not until I return." Mikey nodded, wrapping his wrist up again. He watched Splinter make his way down the sewer. Finally he punched the brick to let himself back in the lair. Leo had cleaned up and was doing dishes. Don had moved over to his lab area. Only Raph was still sitting at the table. He was trying not to look interested, but Mikey could tell that he was both curious and concerned. Raph was always itching for action, so he was normally very fidgety. But he wasn't even drumming his fingers.

His brothers were still worried, but Mikey was suddenly very happy. Master Splinter would solve his problem, and life would go back to normal again - well, normal for a teenage mutant ninja turtle, anyway. The only thing that still made him uneasy was the mark. He wouldn't have noticed it if Klunk hadn't accidentally clawed him. He had taken off the wrap to look at the scratch and saw the mark. There was no telling how long it had been there. It was probably nothing. "Hey, Raph, bet you I could whip you in Zombie Aliens," he said with a sly grin.

Raph glared at him. "Bet you you're wrong," he replied.

"You're on," Mikey said, flipping towards the couch.

Don looked up from his table in time to see Raph do a flip off of Mikey to get the good controller. He smiled, relieved. Whatever had been said between Mikey and Master Splinter out it the sewers had worked. Mikey was Mikey again.

Mikey and Raph had been playing for more than two hours. They had gone from best of two out of three to four out of seven, and were now working on six out of eleven. They were tied at five apiece. Don would glance over at Leo, who was reading a book, and grin at him every now and then. Leo would reply with a thumbs up.

Suddenly Don's shell cell rang. The others stopped what they were doing to listen in. "Hello?" Don said. "Oh, hi, Casey. The news? No. Hold on." Don covered the receiver and said, "Put on the news. Something's going on." He said goodbye to Casey and hung up.

Raph grabbed the remote and flipped the channel. Suddenly the screen changed from a space background to a close up of a news reporter. "…take you now to Times Square, where the aliens are having a press conference."

"Aliens?" Leo exclaimed.

The screen changed to a shot of two figures. They looked sort of like humans, but had shimmering white hair and bluish-tinged skin. "We have tracked the Chosen One to this planet, and this city," one of then said.

"Who's the Chosen One?" someone in the audience called.

"The one who can either save or destroy our planet," replied the other one.

"How do we know who the Chosen One is?" asked another reporter.

"He will have some kind of mark on his wrist," replied the first alien. Mikey unconsciously rubbed his right wrist. The others didn't notice.

Suddenly there was a huge blast of light, followed by a near-deafening explosion. The screen went fuzzy for a moment, then went back to normal. The turtles watched, shocked, as one of the aliens fell. Then new figures appeared. Over the screams, the reporter's voice said, "It appears new aliens are now attacking!"

The new aliens were very ugly. They were large and muscular, with gray, warty skin. They didn't have any noses, and their eyes were very small. "You shall not win this war, you Acon scum!" one alien cried. "We shall find the Chosen One ourselves. He will be the downfall of your planet!"

"You Gigens will never find him," replied the Acon who was still standing. "You don't know how."

"What the shell is going on?" Raph suddenly exclaimed.

Then a small figure appeared on the screen. He looked like the Gigens, only older. "Our sage has learned the incantation that will awaken the Chosen One!" cried another Gigen. The Acon was horrified. The old alien began chanting something.

Suddenly the mark on Mikey's wrist began to burn. He gasped in pain. "Mikey? What's wrong?" Raph asked.

Mikey stuck out his wrist. The mark was burning through the wraps. The others gasped and watched in horror as glowing white lines began snaking their way up on Mikey's arm. Mikey screamed in pain. "Mikey!" the other turtles cried, gathering around him.

Then the alien on the screen stopped chanting. The marks on Mikey's arm faded, leaving him gasping for air. "What - the shell - was that?" he panted. The others stared at him in wonder and worry.

Suddenly the figures on screen vanished. "Now they've disappeared!" the confused reporter announced. "They apparently found what they were looking for."

Suddenly a blinding flash filled the lair. The aliens were now standing right in front of them! The turtles leapt to their feet, weapons drawn. "Get out of our home!" Leo ordered.

"Which one of you is the Chosen One?" one of the Gigens asked.

"We don't know what you're talking about. Now leave!" Raph said angrily. He, Leo, and Don instinctively stepped in front of Mikey.

"Enough!" said the old Gigen. "There is only one way to settle this!" He began chanting again.

Leo, Don, and Raph whirled around as Mikey's nunchucks fell to the ground and he began screaming again. This time there were lines snaking up from his hands and feet. His body went rigid. "Stop it! Leave him alone!" Raph shouted, turning back to face the aliens. His jaw dropped. Except for the old sage, the others had bowed down, reverence on their faces. The sage stopped chanting, and Mikey collapsed, unconscious.

"Mikey? Mikey! Wake up!" Don cried, kneeling down next to Mikey's limp form. The lines faded more slowly this time, and where they had been was a paler green than the rest of his skin.

"We've found him at last!" one Gigen breathed. "Our victory is near!" They started moving towards Mikey, but were stopped by Leo and Raph.

"Donny, get Mikey out of here," Leo ordered. Don put one of Mikey's arms around his shoulders and pulled him to his feet. Mikey's body sagged against him.

"Whoa, Mike, looks like you'd better start laying off on all the chips and pizza," Don groaned softly.

"Go, Donny!" Raph exclaimed, twirling his sais with anticipation. The aliens looked unsure of what to do.

"What about you guys?" Don asked.

"We'll catch up," Leo replied. "Go!"

"But-"

"Donatello!" Leo said sternly. "I said move!"

Slowly Don dragged Mikey towards the exit. But he hadn't moved more than two steps when suddenly one of the Gigens appeared in front of him. "Hand him over!" the Gigen ordered.

"No way!" Don replied. He felt Mikey stir. Mikey looked up at him.

"Donny?" he whispered. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure," Don replied. "But apparently these guys kinda want to take you with them."

"Sorry, I can't - I still have to finish beating Raph in our tournament!" Mikey joked weakly as he pulled away. He staggered a little, but stayed upright. He bent down to pick up his nunchucks.

"All right, guys. Let's do our thing and get them out of here," Leo said as they formed a tight circle.

"You okay, Mikey?" Raph asked, glancing over at Mikey.

"I will be once we start kicking some Gigen butt," Mikey answered. "Hey, Raph, bet you I can beat you."

"You're on!"

"On what?" Mikey asked, looking down and lifting up a foot. Raph groaned.

"You're definitely okay - you're making bad puns again," he said.

Mikey didn't reply. Instead, he leapt at the nearest alien. The others followed suit.

Suddenly there was a huge frenzy. Both aliens and turtles were flying left and right. Raph sent a Gigen into the television sets ("I just fixed those!" Don exclaimed). Leo sent one into the wall. Don and Mikey ganged up on one and sent him into the kitchen.

Finally the turtles regrouped. "We should head out before they trash the lair completely," Mikey said.

"Good idea," Leo replied. The turtles quickly retaliated when the Gigens attacked again.

Suddenly someone cried, "Stop!" A silence fell over them. The old Gigen stepped forward. "It is time for the Chosen One to come with us," he said, looking at Mikey.

"There is no way he is going with you," Raph growled, taking a step in front of Mikey, who was swaying slightly.

The sage sighed. He raised a hand. Suddenly one of the Gigens threw something at them. Tiny little disks landed on their chests. "What the shell?" Don exclaimed, reaching up to pull it off.

Then the alien pushed a button on another disk. They all cried out as electricity coursed through their bodies, and they fell down to the ground, immobilized. Leo, Raph, and Don watched helplessly as one larger alien grabbed Mikey's stiff body and hoisted him over his shoulder. As the alien turned to join his counterparts, Mikey cast a fearful look at his brothers. "Guys-"

Suddenly a bright flash filled the lair again. They squinted from the light. When they could see once more, they saw that the Gigens had finally left - and had taken Mikey with them.

You want more? I think you all know what to do...


	2. Part 2

All right, I'm on a roll! People like it! Yeah! **Disclaimer:** I don't own the turtles. If I did, I'd be learning some sweet moves and making more movies w/ them!

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

"No! He's gone!" Don cried. He struggled to make his limbs work. They slowly managed to get to their feet. "Now what?" he asked quietly.

Leo started pacing, mumbling to himself. Raph just stared off in disbelief. "We should find Master Splinter," Raph finally croaked, looking at Leo. "That's the first thing we should do." Leo and Don nodded. They gathered up their weapons. Don grimly picked up Mikey's nunchucks and tucked them into his belt. He grabbed his bag of "electronic goodies" and slung it on his back.

"We'll take the sewer slider," he said quietly.

They silently walked out into the sewers. Don pushed a button on a remote control, and the sewer slider came roaring up. They piled in and took off, Don at the wheel.

"What was that all about?" Leo asked suddenly. The others could barely hear him over the sound of the engine. "What were all those lines all over Mike's body? What on earth is going on?"

Raph could still hear the sound of Mikey's screams; he could still see the pain on his face. He shuddered, then growled, "No one picks on Mikey except me. When I get my hands on whoever's behind this, I'm gonna…" He started twirling a sai in his fingers, leaving his threat unfinished, but well understood. Don fingered the nunchucks in his belt with his free hand. Those Gigens would regret the day they kidnapped a ninja turtle.

_Especially since they got Mike_, he thought. While they were all technically around the same age, Mikey was like the youngest of them. He got picked on the most, but it seemed he was watched over the most. The turtles all defended one another and got angry when someone was hurt, but Mikey was the one that everyone kept a close eye on. Raph always joked that this was so because Mikey did the least amount of training and was therefore the weakest, but deep down, Raph, Leo, and he knew there was something more. Mikey could be every bit as good as them, even better, when he felt like it.

It seemed like they reached the proper manhole in no time at all. Don quickly shut off the sewer slider. They crept up the ladder, Leo in front. He gingerly lifted the manhole to make sure no one was around. Then they quickly leapt out of the manhole to hide in the shadows. They crept to the wall at the end of the alley. Don set his bag down and searched through it. "Here, Leo," he said, tossing his brother a piece of paper and some chalk. Leo quickly unfolded it and saw the design that would open the door to the Battle Nexus realm. But before he could start drawing the design onto the wall, the portal opened, and Master Splinter stepped out. He looked up, surprised.

"My sons! What's wrong?" he asked, looking at them. He frowned. "Where's Michelangelo?"

They all started talking at once. Splinter held up a paw, and they went quiet. "Please, one at a time."

They looked at each other. Leo then explained everything that had happened since Splinter had left. Splinter looked graver with every word. "This is not good. Not good at all."

"He'll be okay, though, right?" Don asked tentatively. "I mean, if he really is the 'Chosen One'," he made quotation marks with his fingers, "then they wouldn't hurt him. Right?"

Splinter bowed his head gravely. "I - no, not necessarily. Let someone who is more knowledgeable explain it." He motioned for them to follow him through the portal.

They walked into the Pavilion of Past Champions. There they saw the statues of those who had won the Battle Nexus Tournament, including Master Yoshi, Master Splinter, and, most recently, Michelangelo. But as they passed the spot where Mikey's statue was, they stopped and stared. Instead of just Mikey, as it had been the last time they'd seen it, it was now a group statue with all four turtles. "When did this change?" Raph muttered.

"After Michelangelo's rematch. He asked for it to be changed. Only he and the Daimyo know why," Splinter replied. "Although I have a good guess…"

"I - I never knew. He didn't say anything," Leo said, staring at the statue.

Each statue looked so real, he thought that they might just come to life. Each pose was a natural one for them. Leo was in an attack stance, his katanas drawn and ready for action. A fierce look of determination was carved on his face. Don was leaning on his bo, his characteristic laid-back grin on his face. Raph's sais were tucked in his belt. His arms were crossed, and he had his wicked looking smirk on his face, his eyes half closed. Mikey was holding one of his nunchucks behind his head. They all stared at his face. It had the familiar "I'm-about-to-crack-a-joke-while-kicking-the-bad-guys'-butts" smirk on his face. It clearly showed all of their characteristics - Raph's stubbornness, Leo's resolve, Don's easygoingness, and Mikey's playfulness. Leo had never been so honored.

Winning the Battle Nexus had been a great source of pride for Mikey. Up until his rematch with Kluh, he had mentioned it at least once a week, if not once a day. It had just about driven the others mad. But after the rematch that almost cost him his life, he had mellowed a little. Sure, he had stopped bragging so much, but still - Leo had never expected anything like this from Mikey. Apparently, neither had Raph or Don, judging by the looks on their faces. "We have to find him," Leo murmured quietly. "We have to."

"Why didn't he tell us?" Raph asked angrily.

"He wanted to surprise you at the next Battle Nexus Tournament," a voice boomed from their left. They turned to see the Daimyo walking towards them. "He also wanted to put pretty much everyone he ever knew in the statue, but I told him that the artisans might revolt, so he settled on you four turtles. It turned out quite nicely, I must say." They all bowed. He bowed in reply. "Please, tell me what's happened. Perhaps I can assist you."

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Mikey slowly opened his eyes. He was in the middle of a room, strapped to some kind of table. His mark still glowed, and both of his wrist wraps had been removed. He looked up as two of the Gigens entered. "Ah, glad to see you're awake, Chosen One," said one of them.

"My name is Michelangelo," Mikey retorted.

"Very well, Michelangelo," said the other alien. "Our job is to try and awaken your full potential."

"Good luck. My sensei's been trying for years."

"Ah, yes, but your sensei most likely used a more gentle method of persuasion. Our sage has told us that in order to awaken your full power, you must experience immense pain," said the first Gigen. Mikey's eyes widened slightly. The Gigen walked over to a large control panel. He twisted a knob, then pushed a button. Electricity suddenly surged through Mikey's body. He bit back a yell as his entire body tensed. The surge lasted for several minutes, although to Mikey it felt like an eternity. He gasped for air as the jolt stopped.

Over the blood pounding in his ears, he heard one Gigen say, "Nope. It didn't work. Higher this time."

Outside the base, citizens didn't even glance up as faint screams rang out.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

"We must travel to the Gigens' home world," Splinter told his sons. "Michelangelo is most likely there."

"But where?" Leo asked. He was looking at a 3-D image of the planet provided by the Daimyo. "It's pretty big."

"Perhaps an Acon can tell us," the Daimyo answered. He motioned for someone to enter the room. The turtles turned as a tall, slender female Acon entered the room. She wore a light purple, knee-length tunic with light purple leggings, and had shimmering white hair down to her lower back.

The Acon bowed. "My name is Ariana," she said in a soft, yet powerful voice.

"Ariana is the princess of the Acons. She stands next in line for the royal throne," the Daimyo explained as she shook their hands.

Leo was surprised by her strength. He bowed slightly. "I am Leonardo. This is Donatello, and that's Raphael."

"You must be very worried about your brother," Ariana said quietly.

They nodded. "What do the Gigens want with Mikey? What do _you_ want with him?" Don asked.

Ariana sighed. "The Gigens and the Acons have been embattled in a bitter war for several millennia. Long ago, a wise woman visiting Acon said that there would be a Chosen One from another race that could save one planet and destroy the other. This is the main cause of the war. The Gigens, or rather, a small group of Gigens, seek to control the universe. The Acons, although peace loving, are fierce fighters. I don't mean to sound conceited, but if the Acons were to fall, the Gigens would be almost unstoppable. Both races are technologically advanced, and if these technologies were to combine…" she trailed off. "It could spell a disaster for the entire universe."

"But why us? Why Mikey?" Raph demanded.

Ariana shrugged. "Fate, I suppose. We didn't pick the Chosen One - fate did."

She sighed again. "I personally do not believe in the prophecy. I do believe that there is one who may be a great ally to either side, but he wouldn't be the lone cause for the victory of one race over the other."

"Where can we find Mikey?" Leo asked.

Ariana was suddenly very business-like. "Between the bits of transmissions we've received and common logic, we've determined that he will be here," she said, pointing to a spot that suddenly glowed on the map. "The detention and torture center."

"Torture?" the others exclaimed.

Ariana nodded gravely. "According to the second part of the prophecy, the Chosen One's full power can only be awakened if he experiences tremendous pain."

"T - tremendous?" Don croaked weakly after a moment.

Ariana nodded regretfully. "That is why he is not free from danger. The Gigens may push him… to death… in their eagerness to release his power. And the place is heavily guarded. There is no way to get in or out the front without permission."

"I've got your permission right here," Raph growled, pulling out a sai.

"Hold on, Raphael. We don't need permission," Ariana said with a faint smile. They all looked at her. "There's a small guard's entrance on the other side of the complex. It's hidden by a holographic shield, and only a few guards stand watch. But those guards have a key that we need to open the door. And we can't let them alert the rest of the base - otherwise we'll never be able to get in."

"I'm sensing the need for a distraction," Leo said. Ariana nodded. "Raph, we're gonna leave that up to you."

"Me? Why me? Why not Mike - oh," Raph said, looking down. They were silent for a moment.

"Daimyo, would you be able to send us to the Gigen home world?" Splinter asked.

"I would be honored, my old friend," the Daimyo replied. They all gathered in a group and bowed. He raised his staff to send them to the home world. "Goodbye, my friends, and good luck."

As they stepped out of the portal, they could see a gigantic base in front of them. The walls were tall and thick, and they were covered with filth. There was an empty twenty-yard wide area around the entire perimeter. Gigens and other aliens walked around on the streets nearby, ignoring the tall building. Ariana quickly stepped into the shadows to avoid being recognized as an Acon. The others followed her.

"Okay, the hidden door is in that wall, near the end," Ariana told them, pointing at the wall closest to them. They could see two guards walking around.

"Alright, Raph, you're up," Leo said. Raph smirked, then slowly walked over to the guards.

Raph whistled as he approached the guards. "Halt!" one of the guards ordered, pulling out a gun.

"Whoa, sweet blaster! What are you guys, storm troopers or something?" Raph asked, ignoring them and walking closer.

"Storm troopers?" the other guard asked, bewildered.

"Yeah, storm troopers - you know, from _Star Wars_," Raph replied.

"I have never heard of any type of star war," the first guard said. "But I believe I ordered you to halt!"

Raph stopped and looked up at them. "Yeah, I guess you did, didn't you," he replied with a smirk. He reached up and banged their heads together. With a groan they both slid to the ground.

The others ran up behind them. "Good work, Raphael," Splinter said as Ariana grabbed one of their keys.

"Took you long enough," Don added as he handcuffed the guards. Raph glared at him.

"Come, we must move quickly!" Ariana exclaimed, running for the hidden door. They followed close behind her. Ariana pushed a button on the key, and a door suddenly appeared.

"Quickly, quickly!" Splinter urged.

"In here!" Ariana said, reaching up and pulling a grate open. Raph cupped his hands. She stepped into them, and he boosted her into the large air vent.

"Sensei, you next!" Raph said. Splinter sprung off Raph's hands and landed nimbly inside the vent.

Suddenly an alarm began to blare. "We've been discovered!" Don gasped.

"Go, Donny!" Leo ordered, turning around and pressing a button so the door would shut again. He could hear faint voices approaching. Raph boosted Don into the vent.

"Leo, let's go!" Raph barked. Leo glared at him, but leapt up into the air, landed on Raph's hands, then flew into the vent. Then he turned and reached for Raph.

But as Raph was reaching back, he heard several soldiers approaching down the hall. "Aw, shell," he whispered as a Gigen appeared. "You're gonna have to go on without me! Maybe they'll take me to Mikey," he whispered, shoving Leo's hand back and slamming the grate shut.

Leo started to say something, but Splinter clapped a hand over his mouth. "You, stop!" they heard a voice shout.

"Why don't you try and make me?" Raph growled.

Through the cracks in the grate, they could see a tiny disk land on Raph's chest. "Aw, not again," he muttered. Suddenly he cried out and dropped to the ground as he was shocked again. Leo tensed, but didn't move as they dragged Raph away. They could hear him moaning.

"This is not good," Don whispered finally.

"Now what?" Leo asked grimly.

Ariana pulled something that looked similar to a small handheld computer from her pocket. "We are located on the second floor. Your brother is most likely in the dungeons of the first sublevel. In order to find out what cellblock he's in, we should go to the control room on this floor. These air vents should lead us right to the room."

"What about Raph?" Don inquired.

"With any luck, we'll be able to find out where he is, too," Ariana told him.

"Alright, then, let us move quickly," Splinter whispered. They began to silently crawl down the metal shaft.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

Raph groaned as he fell to the floor. He felt himself being picked up and dragged down the hall into another room. The Gigens tossed him down at the feet of another Gigen. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Rescuing my brother," Raph replied, struggling to his feet.

"You cannot. This is his destiny. He cannot escape it."

"That doesn't mean I can't help him try," Raph growled.

The Gigen began circling him. "Where is the rest of your party?"

Raph stared straight ahead. "Back home. I came alone." He dropped to his knees as one of the Gigens shocked him with something that looked similar to a cattle prod.

"That's a lie! We know you are not alone. Now, where are they?" the Gigen shouted. Raph clenched his fists, but said nothing. The Gigen sighed. "Seize his weapons. Search him thoroughly. Then toss him in Cell 31. I will report to the Commander," he ordered, and left the room.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

All right, you guys know what to do! It might be a little while before I update again - having Internet problems! But don't worry, there is a conclusion - eventually...


	3. Part 3

_Hey, guys! Thanks for waiting, and thanks for all of the updates - it helps me to keep writing!_

Ten minutes later, the Gigen guards tossed Raph roughly into a cell. They had taken his sais, his shell cell, and his throwing stars. The Gigens laughed as they locked the door and walked away.

Raph shivered and looked around. The room was cold and dim. The walls appeared to be carved out of a rough stone. He could make out the shape of two cots. One was empty; the other was occupied. Suddenly a voice croaked from the occupied cot, "If you snore as loud as you did the last time we shared a room, I'm moving out."

"Mikey!" Raph cried, running over to join his brother. Mikey turned his head, but didn't move. "Mikey? What happened to you?" Raph breathed, helping him sit up.

Mikey groaned softly. "Apparently, the Chosen One needs to suffer lots of pain to awaken his power."

"Yeah, we know. Ariana told us," Raph replied.

"Who's Ariana?" Mikey asked weakly. Raph explained what they had done since Mikey had been kidnapped. "Oh. Did she tell you that the Gigens are quite fond of electroshock therapy?" When Raph shook his head, Mikey continued, "Well, they are. In fact, they're so fond of it, I passed out after the fifth time. I haven't been able to move for over an hour."

"That bad, huh?"

"They didn't seem too happy when I didn't respond like I should have. They really weren't happy when I said they looked like old piles of cat barf, especially since they don't seem to know what a cat is."

Raph chuckled. "Only you would say something like that," he muttered.

Mikey was silent. When he did finally speak, it sounded like he had suddenly gotten a bad head cold. "Raph, I just want to go home. I don't like being the Chosen One." He suddenly moaned and collapsed into Raph.

"Mikey? Mikey!" Raph exclaimed. His brother appeared to be unconscious. "Hang on, Mike. Don and Leo will get us out," he whispered, gently laying him out on the cot. In the dim light, he could see bruises and burns all over Mikey's body. A faint glow came from the mark on his wrist. Raph looked at his brother worriedly. "You hear that guys?" he whispered. "You've got to get us out - and fast."

Mikey stirred suddenly. "Who were you talking to?" he asked, lifting his head slightly.

"Huh? Oh, no one. Just thinking out loud," Raph replied, relieved that Mikey was awake.

Mikey dropped his head back onto the cot. "You guys shouldn't have come for me. I'll only get you caught," he whispered.

"You would have to be crazy to think that we wouldn't come for you, bro," Raph replied, sitting on his own cot. Mikey didn't reply.

They sat in silence for a long time. Raph nodded off a few times, but never longer than a few moments. Suddenly, someone knocked. Raph called out, "Who is it?"

"Room service!" came Leo's reply. The door suddenly fell to the ground with a crash. Mikey and Raph squinted at the bright light. Two figures stood in the doorway - Leo and Don. "Mikey!" they both cried, rushing into the room. Mikey slowly sat up, a shocked look on his face. They hugged him gently.

"How - how did you find us?" Mikey asked them as Raph joined them.

"Good ol' fashioned detective work," Don said with a grin.

"Donny found a computer," Leo added wryly. Raph laughed, and Mikey chuckled. Then he winced and groaned softly.

"You've seen better days," Don said, looking at him closely.

"Personally, I think it's an improvement," Raph joked. "He's a lot quieter."

Mikey looked at Leo. "Hit him for me, would you?"

Leo laughed and obeyed. "Ow!" Raph exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Apparently, the 'highly advanced' Gigens don't like making their prisoners comfortable," Leo added, looking around the room.

"You could say that again," Mikey replied weakly.

"Here, we brought you some presents," Don said. He handed Raph his sais. Raph took them with a grin.

"Donatello, you are the turtle!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know," Don replied. He pulled Mikey's nunchucks from his belt. Mikey weakly took then, smiling faintly.

"Come on. Let's get out of here," Leo said.

Leo took one of Mikey's arms; Raph took the other. Together they pulled him to his feet. He moaned softly.

"There's no way we can sneak him out using the air vents," Don said quietly, worry in his tone.

"Then we'll just have to fight our way out," Ariana said as she and Master Splinter entered the cell. Ariana bowed low when she saw Mikey. "I will take you to my planet. You can do what you want from there. Please, follow me. There isn't much time."

Splinter went over and gently patted Mikey on the shoulder. "Glad to see you, my son," he murmured. Mikey grinned weakly.

They slowly walked out of the cell. Raph and Leo had to drag Mikey because he couldn't move his legs without severe pain. Ariana led the way down the hall towards an elevator.

They whirled as someone started laughing. A lone Gigen stood at the end of the hall. He started clapping. "Very good," he chuckled. Don sensed Ariana stiffen.

"Drexen," she said coolly.

"Ariana. So nice to see you again. It's always a pleasure."

"It'll only be my pleasure when your head arrives on a platter," Ariana spat, drawing her sword.

"Whoa, remind me not to get her mad," Mikey whispered in Raph's ear. Raph nodded in agreement.

"I didn't think you believed in the prophecy, Drexen," Ariana continued.

"I don't. But in case it does come true, it's better for us to have him than you Acons. You know - just it case. You notice that I didn't have my men take special care of him or anything - well, except for the treatment."

"Yeah, we noticed," Raph growled.

"I don't want to interrupt, but shouldn't I decide where I want to go? Seeing as how I'm the Chosen One and all that," Mikey said.

Drexen shrugged. "I'm afraid my men won't let you," he said casually. Suddenly four Gigens ran behind him, blasters drawn. Don turned and looked as six more Gigens ran up behind them, blocking the route to the elevator. He turned back and saw Drexen smirking evilly. "You're staying right here."

"Now, wait just a minute," Leo began. He stopped when Mikey pulled away and took a shaky step forward. He swayed, pain etched on his face, but stayed standing.

"If I stay, you _will_ let them go," he ordered. Leo stared at his brother, his jaw wide open.

Drexen nodded. "You have my word."

Mikey turned as the others started protesting. "Look, better me that all of you guys," he muttered. "We all know that you guys are way better ninjas that I am. There's no way I'm the Chosen One. Once they find that out, we're all dead for sure."

"We're not going to let you do this," Raph said. "You can barely stand on your own."

"Remember, Mike, if one of us goes down, then we all go down," Leo added.

"No. Not this time," Mikey snapped.

"Michelangelo," Splinter interjected. "We are a family. We face all hardships together."

"Perhaps I can resolve this issue," Drexen called. They turned to face him. "A sporting contest - a fight. You four turtles against me."

"I'll fight alongside my sons," Splinter said.

Drexen shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"What's the catch?" Don demanded.

"No catch. If you win, you're all free to go. But if I win…"

"If you win, they still go free, and you can do with me what you want," Mikey cut in. He raised a hand to cut off his family's protests.

Drexen smirked. "Deal. You're the one I really want, anyway." Raph growled at the way he said that. "We fight tomorrow morning." He waved his soldiers forward. "Take their weapons. Put them in separate cells. I don't want them escaping before the big fight. And put the Acon in a high security cell - I don't trust her."

The soldiers quickly did as they were told, with some struggling from Raph and Leo. Don heard a moan and glanced over in time to see Mikey collapse when a guard grabbed him. The guard just tossed him back into his cell.

A moment later, Don was tossed into a dark cell of his own, and the door shut with a bang. Don felt anger flood his body. What did they ever do to deserve this? What did Mikey do to deserve this? Sure, Mikey got annoying sometimes, but… _I mean, he's really, really beat up, but he still is willing to fight and give himself up for us_, Don thought. He slowly sat down on his cot. _But he's not going to fight alone, and he sure as shell isn't going to die for us - not if we can help it!_

As he drifted off to sleep, one last thought floated across his mind. _There is no way we are going to lose that fight tomorrow. We can't afford to lose._

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

_Leo glanced over at his family. Mikey was swaying a little, and Raph was bleeding from a cut on his arm, but they looked alright. "Let's finish this, my sons," Splinter muttered from his left. _

"_Attack as one!" Leo ordered. His brothers nodded. With a shout, they launched themselves at Drexen. Drexen laughed, and for some inexplicable reason, Leo, Don, Raph, and Splinter suddenly flew backwards. _

_Leo blinked as Mikey continued moving towards Drexen. A sword had somehow appeared in his hand. "Stay away from my family!" he shouted angrily._

_There was a bright flash. When Leo looked again, Mikey was lying on the ground, and Drexen was staring ahead, shocked. A sword handle seemed to grow out of his stomach. Leo watched as Drexen silently collapsed_._ They had won! But, then, why wasn't Mikey moving? Don rushed to his side_. _"No! He's-"_

**BANG!**

Leo sat straight up, gasping for air as someone banged on the door again. The cell door opened, and a guard stood in the doorway. "Time to go," he growled.

Leo sighed as he stood. He must have fallen asleep while meditating. It had all been a dream. _But it had felt so real, _Leo thought with a shiver. He staggered out into the hall. His family was also being forced out, along with Ariana.

Leo was glad to see Mikey walking on his own, although Don stood close by. He joined them. "You guys ready?"

"We don't have much of a choice," Raph mumbled as he caught up with them.

The guards led them out to a large arena. Thousands of people yelled and cheered. Leo thought of the Triceraton Games they'd been forced to fight in. The arena was huge, with thirty-foot high walls. Drexen stood in the middle. The guards shoved the turtles and Master Splinter towards him. They chained Ariana to the wall. There was a chorus of boos and hisses when the Gigens saw her.

"Ladies and gentlemen! You are here today to witness an epic battle between the Chosen One and his family and your all powerful leader!" Drexen boomed, his voice somehow carrying throughout the arena. Don's eyes narrowed. Drexen was dressed in full battle armor, right down to steel gloves. "Let the games begin!" Drexen shouted. The crowd roared. The guards tossed their weapons at their feet, and then turned and left.

Mikey picked up his nunchucks and twirled them around. "Let's do this."

Drexen smirked and pulled out a huge sword. The blade was wide and thin, and it glowed strangely. Leo saw something else glowing out of the corner of his eye. He glanced down, and his eyes widened. A mark had appeared on Mikey's other wrist, and both were beginning to glow again. A gasp rippled through the crowd.

"Drexen! You deceiver!" Ariana screamed suddenly. They whirled to see her pulling on her chains, fear and anger on her face. "You never mentioned you had found the Sword of Cyan! You know that only the Chosen One is supposed to yield it. Only he can handle its true power."

"I've solved that problem," Drexen replied, holding up a steel-covered hand.

"Be careful, my friends," Ariana warned. "That sword is a powerful one."

"Sounds like the Sword of Tengu," Raph said, turning back to face Drexen.

"Well, we beat the Shredder, so we can beat this guy, too," Don replied shortly.

"Stay on your guard, my sons," Splinter cautioned as Drexen approached them. "This foe is not to be taken lightly."

Suddenly Drexen charged at them. They leapt forward in reply. Leo got there first. Ducking under Drexen's swing, he slashed at his legs. His katanas bounced off of the steel greaves. He quickly dived away.

Next came Don. He lunged with his bo. Drexen caught it and began to swing it over his shoulders. Don let the momentum of the swing carry him up. Then he let go and dove for Drexen's sword hand. He missed and grabbed the sword handle instead. A huge rush of energy flooded through his body, and he suddenly went flying backwards into Leo. They tumbled to the ground. "Man, that sword _is_ like the Sword of Tengu!" Don exclaimed, disentangling himself from the pile. He looked at his hand. Blisters were already forming on his palm. "Ouch."

Raph and Mikey charged next. "Raph, slingshot!" Mikey called, leaping into the air. Raph cupped his hands and caught Mikey's foot. He tossed Mikey high into the air, then pulled out his sais. Mikey swung one of his nunchucks down as he flew over Drexen. Drexen caught it with his free hand. "Whoa!" Mikey yelled as Drexen whirled once, then sent Mikey flying. He landed hard and rolled a few times.

"Hi-yah!" Raph yelled, swinging his sais. One of them punctured the armor. Raph leaped away as Drexen swung his sword in retaliation.

Then Master Splinter leapt in. He began fighting Drexen one-on-one. The turtles quickly joined the fray.

Suddenly Drexen's sword made contact with something. The fighting paused. The ends of Mikey's nunchucks fell to the ground. Drexen had sliced the chains. "That was my favorite pair," Mikey growled. Don did a double take. He could've sworn he saw lines appear by Mikey's clenched fists.

The fighting began again. Mikey tried to use his fists, but they were no use against the hard metal. Suddenly a metal fist connected with the back of his head, and he went down hard.

Drexen grinned triumphantly as the crowd roared. He raised the sword high, ready to plunge it into Mikey's shell. Then Raph and Leo launched themselves at the giant Gigen. Their kicks connected right in the chest, and Drexen went flying backwards. The others went after him while Mikey struggled to his knees. Then Drexen yelled, and Leo, Raph, Don, and Master Splinter went flying.

Mikey blinked. He could hardly see, but he knew his brothers need him. He could just make out Raph's limp form landing close to him. His eyes widened. This was turning into his dream - his nightmare.

He blinked, and his vision became clearer. Then it got fuzzy again. His eyes were full of tears, he realized. He could hear Raph moaning. _No!_ he thought. _I can't let it come true_._ I can't!_

He could picture their deaths clearly in his mind. Then an image of Leo on the mountain came to his mind. He could still hear his words as clearly as the day he had first heard them. _In this life, we only have each other_. _If one of us goes down, we all go down_, Leo had said. Mikey squeezed his eyes shut. His family was counting on him. He felt rage burst through him. He wouldn't let them down. He couldn't!

Don struggled to sit up. He saw Drexen walk over towards Raph, who was still lying on the ground. Drexen slowly raised his sword. "No!" Don cried helplessly. He was too far away to help his brother. He heard Leo and Master Splinter cry out, too. The sword dropped in a deathblow aimed at Raph's neck.

_Ohhh... cliffies!! You want more? You know what to do..._


	4. Part 4

_All right... since I was threatened with a hundred deaths (haha, just kidding! _;)_), and since I couldn't let you guys hang off of that cliff for too long... here's some more! I hope this'll satisfy you a little more..._

**"STOP!!"**

Drexen paused. The sword hovered just inches from Raph's neck. "What's going on?" he growled.

Don looked over and gasped. Mikey was on his hands and knees. His body was trembling with rage, and lines were snaking over his entire body. His head snapped up. His eyes were glowing brightly, and his face was twisted in an expression of extreme rage and determination. He slowly got to his feet. Don shivered. He had never seen so much pain and rage on his brother's face; it both scared and hurt him. "What the shell?" Leo gasped as he joined Don.

"You have carried on long enough, Drexen-sheck, leader of the Gigen rebel faction," he shouted in a voice that was only faintly his. It was way deeper, and a lot darker. Lines continued to snake their way across his body, casting dark shadows on his face. The audience fell silent in terror. Drexen trembled and backed up. Raph sat up slowly, his mouth and eyes wide open.

"I don't believe it," Don breathed.

"I know of your war mongering," Mikey continued. "I know how many Gigens have spoken out against your leadership, only to be threatened into silence. I know that if not for your strong army, you would have been overthrown long ago." He slowly marched past Raph towards Drexen, the lines on his body getting brighter with each step. Drexen backed up even more.

Leo and Don ran towards Raph. They were joined by Splinter, who had freed Ariana. "I cannot believe it," she whispered. "He really _is_ the Chosen One!"

"And you know what else I know? Today will mark the end of your treachery, and the beginning of peace," he added. He held out a glowing hand. "Now, I believe you have something of mine."

The sword in Drexen's hand glowed brighter, and pulled itself from his grasp. Mikey grabbed it, and suddenly more light seemed to radiate from his body and the sword.

Don glanced down at his own hand. The blisters were turning a painful red. How could Mikey grab it bare handed? He thought of Ariana's words: _Only the Chosen One is supposed to wield it_._ Only he can handle its true power_. He stared at his brother. "Get him, Mikey."

It almost seemed as if Mikey had heard him, for he suddenly launched himself at Drexen. Drexen hurriedly pulled out another sword and blocked his attack. Mikey moved with ease. He sliced a piece out of Drexen's armor. Seeing this, Drexen lashed out in fury. His sword caught him right in the chest. "No!" Raph shouted as a stream of blood flowed down Mikey's chest.

But Mikey didn't even seem to notice the blow. He sliced another piece out of Drexen's armor, leaving the Gigen's chest exposed. Drexen fought back furiously. Mikey blocked every blow with ease. Soon Drexen was heaving for air. Sensing the uselessness, he fell to his knees. "Forgive me, Mighty One!"

Mikey yanked Drexen to his feet. "You will never harm anyone again. Especially my family," he growled darkly. "And Drexen…"

"Yes?" Drexen asked fearfully.

Mikey plunged the sword into Drexen's stomach. Out of the corner of his eye, Leo saw Master Splinter bow his head. "Never double-cross a ninja turtle," he said, pulling his sword free. Drexen fell to the ground. The stadium was silent.

Mikey turned to face his family and Ariana. Leo stared. The lines had joined in the middle of Mikey's chest to form a large crescent shape with two slashes through it, just like on his arm - the mark of the Chosen One. "Although I regret the taking of life, it had to be done," Mikey said, his voice still holding that mysterious edge.

Ariana took two steps forward and fell to her knees. "Forgive me for doubting," she said.

"Rise, Ariana, daughter of Mizcal, king of Acon," Mikey commanded. Ariana obeyed. He smiled gently. "You were right. I am only here to assist you. I have completed my task. The instigator of all your troubles is gone. However," he added, raising his voice and staring out into the crowd, "it is up to both of your races to find peace at last. But this will not happen if one race is made to serve the other. You must live in harmony. This is only path to peace." The people in the audience whispered and murmured.

Mikey turned back to his family. "Mikey," Don began.

Mikey frowned. "Mikey? Ah, yes, your brother. Yes, I suppose he'll want his body back." He sighed. "My work is complete. The rest is up to you. It is done," he said to Ariana with a smile. The others stared in amazement.

Then he closed his eyes. The sword dropped from his hands and the lines faded. Mikey slowly opened his eyes and stared at them for a split second. Then his eyes seemed to roll up into his head. He swayed and collapsed face down into the sand and lay there, still as death.

"Mikey!" Don exclaimed, sprinting towards his brother, the others close on his heels. The crowd held its breath. Don collapsed onto his knees and rolled Mikey over, feeling for a pulse.

Leo suddenly thought of his dream. "Donnie - is - is he-?" He stopped, unable to finish his question.

"He's alive, but barely," Don exclaimed excitedly. The crowd cheered. Don's glance moved down to Mikey's wrists. "Guys - look!" he exclaimed, holding one of Mikey's wrists up. They gasped.

The mark had completely disappeared.

Raph, Leo and Master Splinter gathered around Don and Mikey. Ariana marched out to the middle of the arena. She stood next to Drexen's body and looked out at the crowd. They stared back at her, their gazes unsure, but definitely not angry. Her heart swelled with hope.

Suddenly pain raced through her body. She gasped, clutching her stomach. Something warm filled her mouth. The crowd gasped with shock, and several people screamed. She held up her fingers. Silver blood shone on them. She looked down, and her eyes widened. Drexen sneered at her. His hand was still clutching the handle of the knife he had plunged into her stomach. "Drexen," she choked.

"Your 'hero' failed," he chuckled. Dark colored blood trickled from his mouth. "I'm still alive." He pulled the knife out.

Ariana turned as she fell to her knees. "Run, my friends!" she screamed.

They looked over as a gleaming knifepoint emerged from her chest. "No!" Leo screamed as Ariana slumped to the ground. Drexen rose to his feet slowly. Blood dripped down his stomach, staining the sand beneath him.

"You scum will all die!" he shouted. Leo, Don, Raph, and Master Splinter quickly got to their feet, gathering around Mikey, who still hadn't moved. "He goes first!" Drexen exclaimed, pointing at Mikey's motionless body.

"You won't get close enough," Raph growled, twirling his sais. "I don't know how you survived, but it won't happen again."

Drexen laughed as he walked towards them. He raised a hand and shouted something that sounded like, "Allay!" Suddenly the ones standing were hurled backwards towards the wall. Their weapons dropped from their hands. Mikey's body slid backwards a few feet. Leo landed the closest to him, but he was still over twenty feet away. Their weapons lay scattered around Mikey's body. They couldn't help him.

Drexen raised his knife high in the air. He swayed slightly, weak from blood loss. "Now, freak - you will die!" he cried, dropping to his knees.

"Michelangelo!" Raph screamed.

Suddenly Mikey's fist closed around one of Raph's sais, and he stuck it into Drexen's neck. Drexen's eyes widened, and he slumped on top of Mikey, who went limp again.

"Mikey!" Leo shouted, running towards him. With Raph's help, he shoved Drexen off of Mikey. Raph's sai had gone straight through Drexen's neck. "I think he got him this time," Leo whispered, pulling the weapon out. He quickly gathered up his katanas and sheathed them.

Raph gasped. "Leo!" he said urgently.

"What?" Leo snapped his head around. He followed Raph's gaze. His eyes widened. "Oh no!" he exclaimed. The handle of Drexen's knife was sticking straight out from Mikey's side, just above his belt. "No!"

Meanwhile, Don had rushed over to Ariana's side. He knelt next to her. Her breathing was shallow, and she kept coughing up more silver colored blood. "Donatello," she moaned when she saw him.

"Shh, lie still. I'll help you. You'll get better," Don replied. He reached over to uncover her stomach wound. She grabbed his hand.

"No. It's too late for me," she choked. "You must help Michelangelo. He has been… gravely wounded."

"What?"

"Listen. An Acon's b-blood… is not like yours. If it is t-transferred to… s-someone else, they will share… a special b-bond - a sort of c-connection. I can feel… that connection with your b-brother now. The only way… that c-could have happened is if… my bl-bood on Drexen's knife… made contact with his b-blood."

Don's eyes widened as he realized what that meant. He glanced over his shoulder as Raph and Leo shoved Drexen's body away from Mikey so they could kneel next to him. He could see panic on his brothers' faces. He looked back at Ariana. "Wha - what am I supposed to do?" he stammered.

Ariana put a small vial in his hand. "Put this on… the w-wound. It will heal… it imm-immediately. That is all you… can do. Go, b-before it is… too late."

"But what about you?"

Ariana smiled faintly. "I shall… p-pass on. Please, don't… be saddened," she said between wheezing breaths when she saw the look on his face. "If you see my f-father… tell him he must s-strive… for peace. Not revenge. This… is my w-wish."

"But-"

"Please, go. You… m-must save him. He… is… fading."

"But I don't want you to die, either," Don gasped.

"Please, Donny. This is… m-my 'thank you' to y-you and… your brother. Now go." Ariana smiled, sighed, then went limp. Her eyes closed, and a peaceful look rested on her face.

Don looked at the tiny bottle. It contained a small amount of a golden liquid. He cast one last look at Ariana, then leapt to his feet and ran towards his family.

Leo looked up as he approached. "Donny," he breathed. A tear leaked out of his eye. He had pulled the knife out of Mikey's side and had put his hands over it to try and stop the bleeding. It wasn't working very well - blood from Mikey's side was staining the sand, and a little blood still trickled down from the wound in his chest.

Don waved him aside, unable to speak past the lump in his throat. He quickly opened the vial and poured the liquid onto the wounds while Master Splinter, Raph, and Leo watched. They stared as the liquid bubbled and sizzled. The slash across Mikey's chest healed, and there was only a thin white scar left. Finally the stab wound in Mikey's side was healed as well, though the scar was larger and rounder. "Whoa," Leo whispered, running a finger over Mikey's now healed side.

"Now what?" Raph asked quietly, staring at Mikey. He absent-mindedly picked up his sais.

"Now we wait and see," Don replied, grabbing his bo.

"My sons, you must go back to the Daimyo. I - I will finish things up here," Master Splinter said gently, looking at them. "Michelangelo must rest somewhere else. Do not return home yet, though. Wait for me." They nodded.

He quickly scratched some symbols into the sand with his walking stick and began chanting. A portal opened.

Raph hoisted Mikey's limp body onto his back and turned towards the others. He noticed Don looking over at Ariana's body. "She's gone, isn't she?" he whispered.

Don nodded. He looked at Master Splinter. "She wanted me to tell her father that he needs to strive for peace, not revenge. That's what she wants."

Splinter nodded. "I will let her father know." He grimly handed Leo something - the pieces of Mikey's nunchucks. Leo slowly took them. A tear threatened to leak out of his eye.

The turtles walked through the portal and into the infirmary of the Daimyo's palace. The Daimyo was waiting. Before they could say anything, he said, "Please, stay here. I will help Champion Splinter as best as I can." Leo and Don bowed, and Raph inclined his head. The Daimyo bowed in reply, then walked through the portal, which closed behind him.

_Review, review, review!! _


	5. Part 5 Don's Tale

_Sorry it's been so long - I had problems updating! Thanks for all the reviews, and for the patience - you guys are awesome!_

_Better do some disclaimers, since I keep forgetting them... I don't own TMNT. Never have, never will... unfortunately. Also, the following parts are kind of based off of the episode "Tales of Leo" in the 2003 universe. So don't sue me or nothin', cuz I haven't got anything!_

Raph gingerly laid Mikey onto a mat. He remained limp. Don checked for a pulse again. "What do you think made him do that?" Leo asked, staring at the sai Mikey had used. The others were silent.

They sat cross-legged around him. "Why Mikey? Why was he the Chosen One? If any of us were to be 'chosen', I would've guessed that it Leo would've been the one," Don finally said.

Leo shook his head. "This actually sort of makes sense. The only reason I am as good of a warrior as I am is because of my constant training. You guys know that. Mikey could easily surpass all of us, even Master Splinter, if he just applied himself. He hardly trains, yet his still won the Battle Nexus tournament, and his rematch." They fell silent again, pondering Leo's words.

Don put his elbows on his knees and rested his chin in his hands. Leo had a point. Mikey was the most natural athlete of them all, even though Raph hated to admit it. But they had always thought it was because of their mutation - after all, they each had their own personalities, just like the humans did.

What had happened that had resulted in Mikey's dreams and the events of the past few days? Don thought back to the rematch. Mikey had almost been killed in a plot that would have given Kluh his honor back - honor that could only be reclaimed in Mikey's public, and fatal, defeat, according to Kluh's father. Kluh's father had a magician that had removed the protective spells around the fighters, causing the battle to become a fight to the finish. Caught off guard, Mikey was quickly overcome by Kluh's furious attacks.

But before Kluh had dealt the deathblow, he had muttered something in Mikey's ear, and suddenly Mikey fought back with a fierceness that no one had ever expected from him, for he was so easygoing. In less than a minute, Kluh went from being the potential killer to the potential victim. Mikey had spared him, but something must have changed that day. Don wasn't sure, but he bet that was the day the mark had appeared on Mikey's wrist.

As he leaned on his right hand, pain shot up his arm. He sucked in a breath and sat up, surprised. Leo and Raph noticed. "What's wrong?" Leo asked.

Don held out his hand. The blisters were a painful reddish-green. Leo grabbed his wrist and closely examined it. "It's from when I touched the sword of Cyan," Don explained.

Raph quickly examined the palms of Mikey's hands. "Guys, look!" he exclaimed. Mikey's palms covered with huge blisters. Some of them had burst open and were seeping. "We'd better check him over for other injuries," Raph said worriedly.

"I'll get some bandages," Don said, rising to his feet.

While he looked around for some bandages, Raph and Leo gently probed Mikey, looking for other hidden injuries. Leo's hand passed over the spot where Drexen's sword had made contact with Mikey's chest. The scar looked shiny in the dim light, and Mikey's chest heavily bruised. Even as Leo lightly pressed, Mikey suddenly moaned and jerked in pain, and Leo could feel a few bones moving where they shouldn't have. "He's got some cracked, if not broken, ribs at the very least," he declared.

Soon they had wrapped Mikey's hands, chest, and ankle, which Raph discovered had become quite swollen. With some help from Leo, Don wrapped his own hand. They resumed their silent vigil.

Finally Raph growled, "I wish he would wake up soon."

Don laughed hollowly. "It's weird. A couple days ago, we wanted him to sleep. Now we want him to wake up."

"This may have been too much," Leo whispered. "He might not wake up."

"Don't talk like that!" Don snapped.

"Donny-"

"No! You survived that attack by Shredder, so he'll survive this," Don replied angrily. "He has to," he added in a whisper.

"Donny, I don't know if I would survive what Mikey's been through. I doubt any of us could. In fact, I wouldn't have survived last time if you guys hadn't helped," Leo answered quietly, surprised by Don's outburst.

"Well, then, let's help him, the same way we helped you," Raph said. "We'll talk to him. Bring him back." Leo hesitated, then nodded.

Don sighed, searching for a story to tell. "Well, the story I told about Leo has more to it, and it involves Mikey."

"What, the story with the car?" Leo asked quietly. Don nodded.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

_It was winter time, so it wasn't the best time to be in the water. Needless to say, I got real sick. I don't know how Leo managed to get away with little more than a runny nose. Splinter told you guys to leave me alone, but you know how good Mikey is with directions…_

**TMNTTMNT**

Don groaned and turned over. His entire tiny body ached. He hated being sick! Splinter had told him he needed to do some extra training as punishment for being so foolish. But before he could even begin to start that, he had become really sick. Donny shut his eyes and groaned softly. This had been the worst week ever! First he lost his favorite toy, and now he was so sick that he could hardly move!

Mikey leaned in the door, wincing as he heard his brother moan. He silently crept in, knowing that if Splinter caught him disturbing Don, he'd get in trouble. But he couldn't just sit back and watch Donny suffer! "Donny?" he croaked softly as he approached the bed.

Don cracked one eye open and looked at his brother. "Whaddya want, M-Mikey?" he asked grumpily through chattering teeth. "C-come to rub it in some m-more about how I got in t-trouble?"

"No, I just wanted t' see if you was feeling bettuh," Mikey replied quietly, looking at his brother through huge round eyes.

"Does it look like I f-feel better?" Don snapped. He started coughing violently.

Mikey quickly grabbed him the glass of water that was sitting on the little table next to the bed. "Here, Donny," he said quickly in his squeaky voice, helping Don sit up and handing him the glass. Don grabbed it and drank a little. The coughing stopped, and he gasped for breath.

"I hate this!" Don exclaimed as Mikey helped him lay down again.

Mikey tucked the blankets in around him. "I'm sorry, Donny," he whispered.

"Why? It's not your fault that I was stupid and lost my favorite toy and got sick!" Don replied angrily. He coughed a little again, then turned away from Mikey. "Just go away, Mikey. I wanna be alone."

Mikey froze, then turned away. "Okay," he murmured, tears welling up in his eyes.

Don closed his eyes as he heard Mikey leave quietly. He knew that he had hurt his brother's feelings, but right now, he didn't care. He just wanted to sleep.

Mikey sniffed as he walked back to his room. He hated seeing Donny so sick, and it hurt when Don said he didn't want him there. _I just wish I could make him feel better_.

Suddenly his eyes widened as an idea popped into his head. He walked back into the living room and looked around. Leo was in one corner of the room, meditating. Raph was watching a wrestling match on television. Master Splinter had just walked into Don's room to check up on the young turtle. _Better go now_, Mikey thought as he sneaked over to the door leading to the sewers. He got out without making a sound.

**TMNTTMNT**

Don looked up as the door opened, hoping it was Mikey. His face fell slightly as Splinter walked into the room. Splinter noticed. "What's wrong, my son?" he asked quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I - it's just - don't get mad, but M-Mikey came in to v-visit me," Don said after a moment. "And n-now I feel b-bad."

"Why is that, my son?" Splinter inquired, touched by Michelangelo's caring attitude towards his sick brother. He knew that Leonardo and Raphael were worried about Donatello as well, but they didn't want to see Donatello in this condition. They didn't react well when any of them were sick.

"C-cuz he just wanted to see if I was feeling b-better, and I got m-mad at him and t-told him to l-leave. D-do you think you could b-bring him back in here, s-so I could ap-apologize?" Don said through chattering teeth.

Splinter smiled. "Of course, Donatello. But after that you must rest, okay?"

Don nodded eagerly, smiling faintly with relief. "Hai, sensei. I will, promise!"

Splinter chuckled. "I know you will, my son." He tucked the blankets tighter around the tiny tot's shoulders just as Mikey had done, then turned and left the room. He glanced around the living room, expecting to see Mikey on the couch with Raph.

"My sons, where is Michelangelo?" he asked after a moment with a frown.

Leo opened his eyes. "I don't know, Sensei. Did you check in his room?" he asked softly.

"I haven't seen him for awhile," Raph added, not taking his eyes from the screen.

Splinter felt the first signs of worry enter him as he headed for Michelangelo's room. One quick glance revealed no sign of the young turtle.

As he turned to go look in the kitchen, he spotted something and froze. The door that led to the sewers was open just a little. "Oh no," he whispered, moving towards the door.

This time Raph heard the panic in his sensei's voice. He tore his gaze from the television and looked up to see Splinter heading for the door. "Sensei? What's wrong?" he asked.

"My sons, I believe your brother has left the lair," Splinter replied quietly as Raph and Leo ran over to him. "You must stay here while I go to look for him."

"But, Sensei, we want to help, too!" Leo exclaimed. Raph nodded vigorously.

"No, my sons. You must remain here in case Michelangelo returns. I do not need you getting lost as well."

"Mikey's lost?" a soft voice croaked. They whirled to see Don leaning against his doorway. "Where'd he go?"

"My son, you must get back in bed!" Splinter scolded softly, rushing towards his son.

"Where's Mikey?" Don demanded. His eyes suddenly widened as Splinter picked him up. "I made him run away, d-didn't I?" he whispered.

"This is not your fault, my son," Splinter replied as he put Don back in his bed.

"Yes, it is! I got m-mad at him, and all he was d-doing was being nice to me!" Don said, tears welling up in his eyes. "It's my fault!"

"No, it is not. You must rest now. I will find Michelangelo," Splinter told him firmly, tucking the blankets tight around Don again. As the rat left, Don began to cry softly.

**TMNTTMNT**

_I must have cried myself to sleep. I woke up a few hours later and heard a door opening_.

**TMNTTMNT**

Don winced as he got to his feet. His entire body still ached, but he quickly crept to the bedroom door. His eyes widened.

Splinter had just entered the lair. He closed the door softly behind him and turned, revealing a sleeping Mikey on his shoulder. A gigantic duffel bag was hooked around the tiny turtle's shoulders. "Sensei? Is he okay?" Don asked softly, stepping out of the room

"He's asleep," Splinter replied, quietly making his way towards the bedrooms. "I found him out in the sewers, soaking wet."

"What's in the bag?" Don asked, following Splinter into Mikey's room.

"I am not sure. I have not opened it yet," Splinter replied, laying Mikey's limp form on the bed. He set the bag aside. "But when I tried to take it away from him, he resisted." He placed a hand on the shivering turtle's forehead and sighed. "It seems that I will now have two sick sons to care for. You must go back to bed, Donatello. I need to get some more blankets for Michelangelo."

Splinter led Don out of Mikey's room. Don glanced over his shoulder at Mikey's tiny quivering body. "Sensei," he began softly.

"Bed, Donatello. We'll talk more in the morning," Splinter replied sternly, giving the turtle a gentle shove towards his room. He then disappeared into his own room to find some more blankets.

Don immediately turned and headed back into Mikey's room. His curiosity was getting the best of him yet again. He knelt down beside the duffel bag and opened it. He gasped.

Inside were the wet and battered remains of his beloved toy car! "How - why-"

"'Cuz you looked so sad without your car," a faint voice croaked.

Don whirled and saw Mikey staring at him from his bed, his eyes half-shut. "You mean you went back and got the car for me?" Don asked, rushing to the side of his brother's bed. Mikey nodded weakly. "Why?"

"Whaddya mean, why? You're my bro, Donny! I don't like seeing you hurt, so I figured maybe if you had your car back, you'd feel better," Mikey replied. He coughed a little. "Didn't sensei say you're supposed to be in bed?"

Don smiled faintly. "Yeah, I guess I am. Move over," he ordered, sliding into the bed next to his brother.

Splinter came in a few minutes later, a pile of blankets in his arms. He stopped in shock as he saw the sight in front of him. Both of the tiny turtles were fast asleep. Don had one arm draped over Mikey's chest protectively. Tears came to Splinter's eyes as he watched the pair sleep, contented smiles on their little faces.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

"Even back then, Mikey was looking out for us, trying to make us feel better," Don said quietly, tears in his eyes as he looked at his unconscious brother. "He risked his life to get my car back for me. And without knowing it, he brought me my gadget bag."

The others stared. "I never knew," Leo said. "I thought you just built a new one."

"Well, it did need a lot of fixing," Don admitted.

"I'm surprised he didn't ever mention it to us," Raph murmured.

Don fiddled with the end of Mikey's mask. "That's just the way he is, though, you know? He likes to make a big deal about the vain little things, but when he does something really important to the rest of us, he tries to keep it quiet." Leo and Raph nodded, falling silent for a moment as they thought about Don's story.

_You like? Then review please! _


	6. Part 6 Raph's Tale

_**Okay, sorry, again guys. First off, not much time. Second off, I never recieved any e-mails saying I had reviews, so I thought people had maybe lost interest in it. So anyway, here ya go, and hopefully I'll post more soon!**_

**_Disclaimers: Don't own 'em, blah, blah, blah - still kind of based off "Tales of Leo" blah, blah, blah - do own the Gigens/Acons/Ariana, etc., blah, blah, blah - you know the drill_**

Finally Raph leaned back with a sigh. "You know what's weird? The story that I told about Leo also had more to it with Mikey."

"You mean your fight with the albino crocodile?" Don asked, surprised. "How?"

Raph smirked. "You guys are never gonna believe this."

**TMNTTMTNTMNTTMNT**

_Ya know, sometimes Mikey surprises me in a good way - he knows a lot more than you might think. He can be real annoying, but sometimes he has a good reason to be._

"Cowabunga!" Mikey shouted gleefully as he raced down the sewer on his skateboard. He stopped and turned expectantly. "Well?"

"I am _not_ shouting that," Raph said, folding his tiny arms across his chest.

"Aw, c'mon, Raph! I'm the leader, and you have to follow me!" Mikey whined, pouting.

"Nope. Uh-uh. Nothin' doin'!" Raph replied, shaking his head.

"If you do it, you can be leader for a while," Mikey told him hopefully.

Raph smirked. "Fine. Cowabunga," he growled, skating past his brother quickly. "Follow the leaduh!" Mikey took off after him, grinning.

Raph glanced over his shoulder. Mikey was close on his tail - he was even doing some tricks. Raph growled. He hated it when Mikey did things as good as he did. He looked ahead and smirked when he realized where they were. "This way!" he shouted, heading for a sewer that was boarded up.

Mikey slowed to a stop. "Raph, we're not supposed to go that way," he said slowly as Raph started to yank at a board.

"What are ya, chicken?" Raph grunted as he pulled back. The board loosened a little, and he fell backwards.

"Raph, trust me, we _don't _want to go that way," Mikey said a little more forcefully.

Raph glanced back at his brother. Mikey was looking at the tunnel with a touch of fear. "We're playin' 'Follow the Leader,' Mike, so you've got to follow me! Now help me with this board!" Raph snapped, turning back to pull on the board.

Mikey watched his brother struggle. _He doesn't know what's in there!_ he thought frantically. _How am I gonna-?_

He suddenly smirked as an idea came to his head. He folded his arms and said, "Oh, so now we're playing 'Follow the Loser,' huh?"

Raph froze, then whipped around. Mikey was staring at him with a wicked smirk on his face. It wasn't too different from his own smirk, Raph realized. "What did you say?" he growled.

"You heard me - loser," Mikey shot back. He turned and frantically skated away when he saw the look on Raph's face.

"Mikey! Get back here! I am gonna murder you!" Raph shouted, taking off after his brother, the tunnel forgotten - for the moment.

**TMNTTMNTTMNT**

_I still wanted to check out that tunnel, so the next day, I managed to get Leo to go - and then I found out just why Mikey didn't want to go in there. That croc was freakin' huge!_

_Needless to say, I was kinda wondering how Mikey knew not to go in the tunnel. After Leo and I had been back in the lair for a while, I tracked Mikey down, determined to get some answers._

**TMNTTMNTTMNT**

"All right, Mikey, out with it!" Raph exclaimed. Mikey squeaked and jumped on the couch, looking up at Raph from the comic book he was reading.

"Out with what?" he asked, confused.

"How did you know that we shouldn't go down that tunnel?" Raph replied, sitting down on the couch next to him.

"Maybe by the fact that it was boarded up _and_ that Sensei said so," Mikey told him, grinning faintly.

"Yeah, but Leo's the goodie-two-shoes, and I managed to get him to come with me. You usually do stupid stuff with me quicker than he does," Raph pointed out. "How'd you know?"

Mikey glanced away. Raph put a hand on his shoulder. "You can tell me, Mike," he said softly.

Mikey looked at him then. Raph could see traces of fear in his eyes. "Who do you think told Splinter to board the tunnel up?" he whispered finally.

Raph blinked. That was _not_ the answer he had been expecting. "You - you knew about the croc?" he asked faintly.

Mikey nodded. "One time, when I was out scavenging for some stuff with Sensei, we got separated. I went down that tunnel and…" he trailed off, shivering slightly. "I found it," he finished in a whisper.

Raph's eyes widened. "Did it attack you?"

"Y-yeah. But I managed to lose it in one of the side tunnels," Mikey told him. "I told Sensei about it, and he went and boarded up the tunnel."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Raph asked.

"'Cuz I knew you wouldn't believe me!" Mikey replied. "It took me awhile just to convince Master Splinter that I saw it."

"So… so yesterday, you weren't trying to tick me off? You were trying to help me?" Raph said finally. Mikey nodded. Raph stared at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"You're my brother," Mikey replied with a shrug. "It's what I'm supposed to do."

Raph looked at Don and Leo. "He always did have a way with words," he said with a faint smile, eyes slightly moist.

Don and Leo stared at him in shock. "I can't believe he knew," Don whispered.

"I can't believe he managed to get away from that croc," Leo said with a faint shiver.

"It's a good thing he got us away from that croc. Otherwise, I doubt we'd be here," Raph told them. "I guess it just goes to show - Mikey really is a lot smarter than he appears." They fell silent for a long moment, watching Mikey.

_**Sorry that it's so short for all of you Raph fans - I promise that I have more Raph stuff... just not for awhile...**_

**_Anyway, read, review, blah, blah, blah - you know the drill!!_**

**_Moogsthewriter_**


	7. Part 7 Leo's Tale

_Alrighty! Thanks to all of you who reviewed - you guys give me motivation to write! I'd like to thank my parents, the academy... oh, wait..._

_Here is the anticipated tale from Leo... thanks for waiting!_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own them, based from "Tales of Leo", yadda yadda yadda..._**

"Your turn, Leo," Don said, looking at his brother.

Leo frowned in thought. "It's hard to think of one - there are so many," he murmured, watching Mikey's chest rise and fall slightly. Finally he looked at Raph and Don. "Mikey was the first one to call me Fearless Leader."

"I think I remember that - he called you that during a practice session, didn't he?" Don asked.

"Yeah, but there was one time before that," Leo replied.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

_It was about a month after the whole "toy car" incident. Mikey was still getting over his cold, but he was feeling better and was itching to get out of the lair. Don was still too sick, Raph didn't want to go anywhere, and Master Splinter had to keep an eye on Don, so I took him out, after begging Sensei for awhile. We'd been playing a game of tag, and hadn't really paid attention to where we were going. Mikey was the first one to realize what was wrong._

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

"Hey, Leo?" Mikey said suddenly, stopping and looking around. "Where are we?"

Leo stopped and turned, looking up and down the tunnel. "I don't really know. We'd better head back the way we came," he said finally.

The two tiny turtles headed back in the direction they were coming. They came to a junction. "Which way?" Mikey asked.

Leo frowned, trying to remember which way they had come. "That way," he replied after a moment, pointing to the left. His voice sounded a little uncertain.

"Okay," Mikey said simply, following his brother.

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

_The weird thing was, I think Mikey knew the whole time that I had no idea where to go. But he still followed me without question._

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

After close to half an hour of walking through the winding sewers, they stopped. Nothing looked familiar. "This isn't good," Leo muttered.

"Leo, are we lost?" Mikey asked timidly as his brother looked around thoughtfully.

"I dunno - maybe," Leo answered. "Come on, let's go this way."

After yet another hour, the pair stopped again. Leo tried to fight the rising panic in his chest. They had been away from the lair for over four hours already, and it was getting colder in the sewers. Leo glanced over at his brother. Mikey had sat down on the ground, holding his legs up to his chest, shivering as he tried to stay warm. He smiled faintly up at Leo. "S-so what n-now?" he stammered quietly.

"I - I don't really know," Leo admitted. "I just wish I could figure out where we are." He suddenly spotted a ladder that led up to a manhole, and it gave him an idea. "You up for going topside for a little bit?" he asked Mikey.

Mikey grinned and nodded. "Y-you're the l-leader," he replied. Leo smiled faintly and helped his brother to his feet.

Leo led the way up the ladder. He strained to move the heavy lid, but after a moment, it slid off. Snowflakes began drifting down. "Great," Leo muttered as he climbed out into the cold air. He turned and helped Mikey up, then slid the lid back into place. "C-come on, this w-way," he said through chattering teeth.

They climbed up a fire escape to the top of a nearby building. Leo looked around. "It looks like we're in Soho," he murmured.

"S-so you know h-how to g-get home, r-right?" Mikey asked hopefully, snuggling in closer to his brother as the snow blew all around him.

"Yeah. Come on, this way," Leo replied, grabbing Mikey's hand and leading him over the rooftops.

As they jumped from rooftop to rooftop, Leo could hear Mikey starting to sniffle again. _Great. Sensei's gonna kill me if Mikey gets sick again!_ he thought miserably. _It's all my fault that he's in this mess_.

Leo was so engrossed in his thoughts that he wasn't paying attention as he leapt to another building. "Whoa!" he suddenly cried as his foot slipped. He was falling towards the hard concrete ten stories below.

"Gotcha, Leo!" Mikey shouted as Leo jerked to a stop. Leo glanced up. Mikey had one hand wrapped around his brother's ankle. The other was straining to hang on to the edge of the roof. His face was twisted in concentration and pain.

"Mikey, you've gotta let go. I'm too heavy," Leo called as Mikey's fingers started to slip.

"You ain't heavy, you're my brother," Mikey groaned in reply, making Leo smile faintly as the song started echoing through his head. He glanced around and spotted a nearby fire escape.

"Mikey, I'm gonna try and swing for the fire escape, okay?" he said.

"Go for it, Fearless Leader," Mikey replied with a groan.

Leo blinked. That wasn't something he'd been called before. He kind of… liked it. Leo shook his head once, then began swinging his body towards the fire escape.

Mikey winced as his fingers slipped another inch. Leo was close, but not quite close enough. The fire escape was just beyond his fingers. He waited until Leo started swinging down again, then closed his eyes and let go of the roof.

Leo's eyes widened as he felt his body start to fall. He reached out wildly and managed to grab the rail with one hand. He winced as Mikey's weight pulled on his leg as he swung down. Mikey's words floated across his mind. _You ain't heavy, you're my brother_. He gripped the rail with his other hand and held on as tight as he could. Soon Mikey had stopped swinging below him, but his grip was slipping. "Hang on, bro," Leo called.

"D-don't have m-much of a choice, d-do I," Mikey replied through chattering teeth. Leo smiled as he struggled to pull both himself and Mikey up.

After a few tense moments, the pair were gasping for air on the fire escape. "Thanks, Mikey," Leo panted after a moment.

Mikey tilted his head to grin at his brother. "C-can we go home n-now, Fearless Leader?"

Leo smiled and put an arm around his brother's shoulder. "Yeah."

**TMNTTMNTTMNTTMNT**

"And that's how the nickname was born," Leo finished with a small smile, looking wistfully at Mikey.

Don and Raph were silent for a moment. "I guess that explains why you don't get quite as mad when he calls you that as you do when I call you that," Raph murmured finally. Leo nodded slightly in reply. A peaceful silence fell over them as they reminisced about the stories they had just told.

_Alrighty, then... I think you all know what to do... and I'll try to post again soon!_

_moogsthewriter_


	8. Part 8

_Here's another chapter for you all! Thank you so much for your reviews - they make me feel appreciated..._

**_Disclaimer... do I have to? I'd really like to have them... sigh... They aren't mine..._**

Finally Don broke the silence. "You know, the more I think about it, the more I realize how good of a ninja Mikey really is. I take us to the fights, Raph starts the fights, Leo gets us out of the fights, but Mikey…"

"He keeps us fighting," Leo finished. Don nodded in agreement. "You've got a point, Don. He kind of works… almost behind the scenes, I guess. Like he doesn't want anyone to know what he's doing to help us when we need it."

They were silent for another moment. "I still can't believe he changed his statue," Don whispered.

Raph nodded. "That thing was his pride and joy," he croaked. He didn't try to hide the tears forming in his eyes. "We can't lose him. We can't."

Leo leaned back. His hand brushed something, and he looked down. It was one of the ends of Mikey's nunchucks. He held it in his hands. "Remember when Master Splinter first gave us our weapons?" he asked quietly, staring at it.

Don smiled faintly. "Mike twirled a nunchuck once. It flew out of his hand and hit Raph in the back of the head. I remember him saying, 'Oh, nice choice, sensei. These are so the weapons for me.'"

"As I recall, Raph chased him around the lair for a few hours after that," Leo added with a wistful grin.

Raph grabbed the severed end of a nunchuck. The short links clinked together. "He's going to need a new set of these," he said thickly, running a thumb over the sawed-off links.

They fell silent again. Then Raph said quietly, "What happened back there? Why did Mike change like that?"

"The Chosen One was awakened," Leo replied simply. He looked at them seriously. "Remember what Ariana said? 'The Chosen One's full power can only be awakened if he experiences tremendous pain.' Mikey must've reached his breaking point."

"But why then?" Raph asked.

"Because you were about to die," Don said quietly. Leo and Raph stared at him. "The Gigens and the Acons both misunderstood the prophecy. Immense physical pain wouldn't awaken the Chosen One - emotional pain would."

"Why emotional? And what pain?" Leo asked.

"Think about it. Emotions often run our bodies and our minds. Mikey's dreams were about all of us dying, and they hurt him so much emotionally that they started affecting him physically - he couldn't sleep, didn't want to eat, stuff like that. When he saw you so close to death, he probably thought of his dream, and it must have released the power in him," Don explained, looking at Raph. "It wasn't the first time, either," he added quietly.

"What do you mean?" Leo inquired.

"Keep thinking. Why would Mikey change his statue, especially after the rematch? I mean, his victory kind of added to the idea that he was the greatest warrior in the universe."

"Maybe the fact that he almost died changed his view on things," Raph suggested.

"No, not really. I mean, after the rematch, he was still the same ol' Mikey - he still liked to use his victory to make you mad," Leo replied with a glance at Raph. Don remained silent as they thought for a little bit, trying to figure out what he knew.

Suddenly realization dawned on both their faces. "Whatever Claw whispered in his ear changed him," Raph said. "He was about to die, but then something changed, and he fought like a madman."

"And that whisper most likely had something to do with us," Don finished.

"Then this all happened because Mikey was looking out for us?" Raph whispered, staring at Mikey's motionless body.

"Yes and no. I doubt that we're the total reason behind his change, but I also doubt we'll ever know what the other reason was. Mikey probably doesn't even know," Don answered.

Leo thought about what had just been said. The turtles always kept an eye on each other, but he had personally taken up the majority of that responsibility. He stared at Mikey. Today, he'd failed in his responsibility - his family had been hurt, and his brothers had almost been killed; one still fought for his life. _But_, he thought_, maybe, just maybe, Mikey covered for me_.

"He's so still," Raph suddenly whispered, startling Leo out of his reverie. The only sign of life was the slight movement of his chest rising and falling.

Suddenly Don moved so that he was lying on his stomach, his head next to Mikey's. "Hey, bro, it's me, Donny," he whispered. "I just want you to know that I'm proud of you. I don't know if you can hear me, but I just want you to know that you're one of the best friends I've ever had. Not that we have many friends, but…" He trailed off, then added, "I still have the car."

Raph joined Don. "Hey, Mike, it's me. I just want you to know that - that I'm proud of you, too. You did - good today. Real good. Because you are. Good, that is. You're a better fighter than me," he stammered out softly.

Leo lay down on Mikey's other side. "Hey, bro. I know you can hear me. Remember what I said on the mountain. If one of us goes down, then we all go down. We won't be the same without you. So fight. Fight this like you've never fought before. I know you can do it. You're a great warrior." He brushed a tear away.

Don grabbed one of Mikey's bandaged hands with his own. "C'mon, Mikey. You've gotta pull through. Who's going to help me test my new inventions?"

"Who am I going to pick on? Or play videogames with?" Raph muttered.

"Who's going to help my focus by trying to distract me constantly?" Leo whispered.

"See, Mike? You've got to wake up. We need you. Leo's right. We won't be the same without you," Don choked. A couple of tears trickled down his face. "I've already lost one friend today. I'm not going to lose a brother, too," he whispered, thinking of Ariana. "C'mon, bro."

Silence fell over them as they watched Mikey anxiously. Suddenly he moaned, took a deep breath, then sighed. "Ow!" Don exclaimed softly.

"What?" the others asked quickly. Don grinned, looking down at his hand. The others followed his gaze, and their eyes widened. Mikey's hand had tightened around Don's bandaged one.

Their eyes flew back to their brother's face as Mikey's eyes fluttered open. "Hi, guys," he whispered.

"Mikey!" they exclaimed ecstatically. "You're awake!" Don added.

"Thanks to you. You brought me back," Mikey replied, yawning. He was already dozing off.

Don stifled a yawn and lay down next to Mikey. "I think it's time to catch up on some sleep." Leo and Raph laid down so that their heads were all in a circle. One by one, they fell asleep. A peaceful silence settled over the room.

_Yes, yes, I know - a lot of mushiness. But, hey, Mikey's finally awake! So... read, review, make me feel loved and adored... you know... same ol' same ol'... ._

_moogsthewriter_


	9. Part 9

_Once again, thank you all for your lovely reviews! You guys are awesome - I don't know what I'd do without you!_

**_Disclaimer: ... Do I have to say it? Can't I at least own a nunchuck? Or a sai? ... Guess not..._**

Leo awoke a few hours later. He sat up. Darkness had begun to settle, casting the room in shadow. He looked around. Someone stood at the window, blocking the light. At first, Leo thought it was Don because the figure was leaning on Don's bo. But when he looked down to his right, he saw Don still sleeping peacefully. Raph was on his left. That meant that it was Mikey.

Leo walked over and joined him, staring out over the Battle Nexus in silence. "I'm not," Mikey said after a moment.

"Not what?"

"A great warrior. I'm not better than Don or Raph, either. I'm the weakest," he whispered. "I heard most of what you guys said. Thank you, but none of it's true."

"What makes you say that?"

Mikey sighed. "I was about to give up. Back in the arena, I think. I could hear you guys talking, and could hear something happening, but it was like you guys were on the other side of a huge lake, and I was so tired. Everything went black, but then something happened, and I could hear you guys talking again. I almost gave up," he repeated in a hollow whisper.

Leo gripped his brother's shoulder, struggling to accept what Mikey had just said. He didn't realize how close they had come to losing him. "That doesn't make you weak. Actually, it just proves our point," he said finally. "You didn't give up. Even after everything that happened to you, you still fought to live. That makes you a great warrior. I'm very proud of you."

In the dim light, Leo could see Mikey smile faintly. "Thanks, Leo. That means a lot."

"No problem," he replied, giving him a gentle hug. "But don't think that this changes anything," he added with a laugh.

Mikey grinned impishly. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he said. He looked down at his ankle, leaning on Don's bo for support. "I guess this means I'll have to get out my crutches again, huh?" he muttered with a grimace. "Oh, well. At least it's only one injured leg this time. And what exactly happened to my hands?"

"We think it's from that sword. Don has a few blisters on his hand, too," Leo explained.

There was a loud growling sound. Mikey looked at his stomach, then back at Leo, a grin on his face. "I'm hungry!" he exclaimed.

They turned as Raph slowly sat up. "Man, Mikey, your stomach is like an alarm," he complained.

Don rolled over. "Pipe down, I'm trying to sleep," he moaned. Mikey and Leo laughed.

Suddenly a portal opened in the middle of the room, and Splinter wearily stepped out. "Sensei!" the turtles all exclaimed. They ran towards him; or rather, Don and Raph ran, and Leo supported Mikey as he hobbled over.

Splinter's face brightened when he saw Mikey. "Hello, my sons!" he exclaimed as they hugged him. "I am happy to see you all up and moving around," he added, looking at Mikey. Before they could say anything, Splinter held up a paw. "First, let us eat. Judging by the loud rumblings," he said as Mikey's stomach growled noisily, "I would say Michelangelo is hungry, and I am sure the rest of you are as well."

Soon they sat in a circle on the floor. Mikey stretched out his injured leg while the others sat cross-legged. They feasted on a meal of rice, sushi, and, by Mikey's request, pepperoni pizza. "Now we can talk," Splinter said. He looked at Mikey. "How much of the battle do you remember, my son?"

Mikey leaned back, his face furrowed in thought. "I clearly remember up until just after my weapons were ruined. Then it was weird - it was like I was in my body, but as an observer, not in control. I remember wondering if I was the one really talking and fighting, and why I wasn't falling down when I got hit, because it really hurt."

He frowned, glancing briefly at Leo before continuing. "After I had spoken to the crowd, I felt like I was back to normal. I saw you guys, and then I blacked out. The next thing I remember hearing was Don saying, 'Now we wait and see.'"

The others stared. "So you don't remember stabbing Drexen in the neck with Raph's sai?" Leo asked faintly.

Mikey's jaw dropped. "I did _what_?"

"You didn't kill Drexen the first time. He fatally wounded Ariana, and then blasted us away so that we couldn't help you. Our weapons were scattered around you. He was about to kill you when you stabbed him with Raph's sai," Don said quietly.

"Yeah, and Drexen stabbed you," Raph added.

Mikey stared at them incredulously. "What? I don't feel very stabbed."

"Ariana gave Don some kind of potion that healed it right before she died. She saved you," Raph said.

Mikey looked away for a moment. "But I still don't get how I could've… done… that… to Drexen," he said finally. "I have no memory of that at all.

Suddenly a blinding flash filled the room. A voice said, "Perhaps I can explain that." They turned and saw the Gigen sage standing in the middle of the room. When Raph and Leo leapt to their feet, weapons drawn, and stepped in front of Mikey, he held up a hand. "Please, I mean you no harm."

A portal suddenly opened and the Daimyo stepped into the room. He immediately understood why the turtles were so tense. "Please, listen, my friends," he said in his powerful voice.

Raph and Leo still eyed the sage warily but finally lowered their weapons. The sage bowed his head. "Thank you." He gazed upon them. "I am sorry for the pain I caused you and your family, Chosen One. But I want to thank you for opening my eyes to Drexen's treachery. As you spoke to the crowd, I realized that Drexen was responsible for the Great War, not the Acons. And when I saw the traitor alive, I knew I was supposed to stop him. I was too late to save the Acon princess, but when I saw him turn to kill you…"

He trailed off, staring straight into Mikey's eyes. Mikey stared right back. Finally, he continued, "I knew what I needed to do. I used magic to control your body to stop Drexen once and for all." He bowed his head gravely. "I apologize, for it was a move that could have cost you your life, Chosen One."

The others were about to retort, but stopped when Mikey slowly stood. "Call me Mikey," he said finally. "Please. The Chosen One is gone," he added, holding up his bare wrist.

The sage looked at him, a smile on his face. "Very well, Mikey."

"Thank you. And do not regret what you did. It was the right thing," Mikey added quietly.

Leo looked at his brother, hearing the subtle change in his voice. Finally he stepped forward and said, "And we thank you as well. If you had not done what you did, Mikey would definitely have been killed." He bowed, and the others followed suit.

"You honor me," the sage replied humbly.

"What will happen now?" Don asked.

The sage sighed. "With the help of the Daimyo and your master, I have spoken with the Acon king. After his daughter's funeral, we will sign the treaty in her honor. It will be hard work, but I predict that the peace that has eluded us for so long will finally come at last. And we could not have done it without all of you," he finished gratefully. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return home. Farewell."

They waved goodbye. There was a flash, and he was gone. Mikey sighed, sinking back to the floor. "I think I need to s-sleep some more," he said through a yawn, lying down as the others gathered around him.

"You are welcome to stay here for the night. I will send some of my servants to fix up your home," the Daimyo said.

"You are very gracious," Master Splinter replied, bowing.

The Daimyo smiled. "It is the least I can do for my friends. Now, please rest."

Mikey didn't hear him. He was already asleep.

_Awww... how sweet. Don't worry, there's still a bit more... but it is getting close to the end! So you know what to do... _

_moogsthewriter_


	10. Part 10

_Thanks so much for your guys' support... this is the last part! Woot!_

_And just to be clear - I do not do any Yaoi whatsoever - it's just mushy brotherly love... _

**_Disclaimer: Objects in mirror are closer than they appear._**

A few hours later, Mikey slowly woke up. The room was dark. A blanket had been placed over him, and there was a pillow under his head. He could make out the shape of his crutches lying next to him. Other than that, the room appeared empty.

He sat up slowly. Light filtered in from a crack under a door. He threw the blanket off himself and grabbed his crutches. He slowly got to his feet and hobbled towards the door. He slid it open, and stepped into a torch-lit hallway. No one was in sight. He limped down the hall, quickly regaining the mastery of his crutches he had acquired after the Shredder had broken both of his legs in their last battle. He had hoped that he would never have to use them again. _Oh, well,_ he thought. _I don't think I'll need them as long this time_.

He turned as a small figure stepped out of the shadows. It was the Daimyo's son. "Champion, I am glad to see you are doing okay. You will be okay, won't you?" he said in a small voice, walking towards him.

Mikey smiled and ruffled his hair gently. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Have you seen my brothers or my sensei around here?" he asked.

"Your sensei was visiting with my father. I saw Leonardo in the Pavilion of Past Champions. I haven't seen anyone else," the Daimyo's son replied. He stifled a yawn.

"Looks to me like you need to go to bed," Mikey said with a small smile. "Go on," he added, waving him away.

Just before he entered his room, the child turned and called, "I'm glad you're okay, Champion."

"Go to sleep," Mikey replied in a whisper. The door slid shut.

Mikey sighed and headed for the Pavilion. If Leo was there, it meant that he had seen the new statue. He had wanted to surprise his brothers with that. _Oh, well_.

He shuffled into the hall. Leo was sitting cross-legged in front of the statue, his eyes closed in deep thought. He turned as he heard Mikey moving towards him. "What are you doing up? You should be resting!" he exclaimed, getting to his feet.

Mikey shrugged. "I'll be fine. What do you think?" he asked, jerking his head towards the statue.

"What do I think? It's - it's - well, it's a shock, to be honest," Leo replied quietly. "I'm very touched. We all are."

Mikey shrugged and looked away. "It was nothing," he mumbled.

Leo put a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, like I'll believe that in a New York minute," he answered. "Why'd you do it?"

"I dunno. I guess… I thought…" He trailed off for a moment, searching for words. "I guess I just realized some things after the rematch, and I wanted to give credit where credit was due, so to speak. The only reason I was able to even have a chance to win was because of all of you guys," Mikey replied, looking up at Leo finally.

"I never asked… but, what happened? Out in the arena that day? I mean, you were kinda getting…"

"My shell shellacked?" Mikey finished with half a smirk. It quickly faded into a small, sad frown. "Kluh… he threatened you guys… and I remembered what you had said earlier… and something just kinda… snapped, I guess…"

Leo was shocked to see tears forming in the corners of Mikey's eyes. "Is that what happened against Drexen?" he asked softly.

"Yeah… no… I dunno! When I saw Drexen go after Raph… something snapped again… but then something else took over," Mikey replied after a moment.

"Something else?" Leo said, surprised.

"Like a force… or a person… or something. I'd kinda been feeling it for a little bit, but when I snapped… it took… control… and I kinda… let it," Mikey whispered, a tear trickling down his face. Seeing Leo's shocked look, he added, "I think I was supposed to then… I don't know… I - I was just so scared that I was gonna lose you guys and…"

Leo wrapped his little brother in a hug, the tears pricking at his own eyes now. He hated seeing his carefree brother so weighed down and saddened. "Shh, it's okay, now, bro. It's okay," he said soothingly, feeling Mikey's shoulders quivering. He clutched him tighter. "I was terrified that we were gonna lose you, too, bro. But it's okay now. It's gonna be okay." He could feel the wet spot on his shoulder getting bigger as Mikey silently cried, burying his face into his brother's shoulder, just as he had when they were little and Mikey had been scared of something. Leo squeezed his eyes shut, a few tears leaking out.

They stood there for several minutes. Gradually Mikey's shoulders relaxed and he hiccupped softly as he pulled away. "Th-thanks, Leo," he whispered.

"No problem, bro," Leo replied, squeezing his shoulder. He glanced back up at the statue. "Does this mean you're going to stop bragging once and for all?"

Mikey smirked, rubbing his eyes. "And let Raph forget that I beat him in a match? You've got to be joking," he said.

Leo laughed. "That's the Mikey I know." When Mikey tried to stifle a yawn, he added seriously, "You should go back to sleep. You need to rest."

"No. Not here. Not anymore. I want to go home," Mikey replied firmly. "It's a nice place and all, but I've been away from home too long and… oh, man, I need to feed Klunk!"

"Don't worry. I'm sure the Daimyo took care of him," Leo said.

"I did," a voice called from their left. They turned to see the Daimyo and Master Splinter standing at the end of the pavilion. And in the Daimyo's arms…

"Klunk!" Mikey exclaimed. Klunk jumped out of the Daimyo's arms and ran towards Mikey and Leo, meowing. Mikey picked him up. "Yeah, I missed you, too, buddy," he said as Klunk eagerly rubbed his head against Mikey's plastron. He put his cat on his shoulder so he could use his crutches. Klunk purred contentedly.

"He didn't want to be left alone again," the Daimyo explained as he and Splinter walked towards them. "I think he missed his friend."

Leo scratched behind one of Klunk's ears. "So is the lair fixed up yet?" he asked finally.

Splinter nodded. "Thanks to the Daimyo and his servants, our home is inhabitable again," he said quietly. "We can go home as soon as we find Raphael and Donatello."

"Where did those two get to?" Mikey asked. Leo shrugged.

"Hey, guys!" Raph called suddenly as he and Don rounded the corner in the hall. They each had their hands behind their back, and they looked smug. "We've got a little present," Raph added as they joined them.

"What's going on?" Leo asked suspiciously.

Raph and Don looked at each other and grinned. "Shall we?" Raph asked.

"Of course," Don replied. They looked at Mikey. "Ta da!" they said in unison, pulling their hands out from behind their backs. They each held a newly repaired nunchuck. They handed them to a stunned Mikey.

"They're - they're as good as new!" he breathed, gazing at them. "Thanks, guys. But… what's this?" he asked, holding up the nunchuck Raph had given him by a new cloth loop.

Raph smirked. "That'll help you hold on to it, Butterfingers - I don't want any repeats of the first time we got our weapons."

"Ooh, if I had two good legs," Mikey threatened, hobbling towards his brother with a good-natured grin on his face. Raph ran down the hall, slowly at first, but he quickly gained speed as he realized that Mikey could move faster than he thought. The others laughed as Klunk mewed in complaint. Mikey stopped, pulled the loop off, and tucked his newly repaired nunchucks into his belt.

"I believe it is time to return home," Master Splinter said. The turtles all nodded, and Klunk meowed.

"Then stand together," the Daimyo ordered. They all gathered in a group in front of their statue. Don put a hand on Mikey's shoulder as he gazed at it again. Mikey smiled faintly. They all looked at the Daimyo. "Farewell, my friends. It has been good to see you, despite the circumstances," he said, raising his staff.

The Daimyo's son suddenly came running to his side. "Goodbye, my friends!" he called timidly. They all smiled and waved goodbye. A portal suddenly closed around them.

They blinked and looked around the lair. Klunk leapt off Mikey's shoulder and headed for the kitchen. "Wow!" Leo said, impressed. "This is the cleanest I've ever seen it!"

"Yes, my sons, it would be nice if it were kept this way for more than a few hours," Splinter said with a twinkle in his eye as he headed for the dojo to meditate.

"Man, it's good to be home again," Mikey sighed, easing his way over to the couch.

"You want to play a videogame?" Raph asked.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I've got about two weeks of lost sleep to catch up on," Mikey replied quietly, resting his head back and letting his eyes drift shut. The others glanced at each other, smiling as they heard Mikey breathe deeply.

"I'm thinking that Mikey's got the right idea," Don said through a yawn. He flopped down on the couch next to Mikey and almost immediately drifted off to sleep.

Wordlessly Raph and Leo made their way to the couch. Raph sat down on Mikey's other side, and Leo sat in the chair next to the couch. As Leo's eyes slid shut, he smiled at the sight of his sleeping brothers. He thought, _It really is true - there's no place like home_.

_And, lo, it is done! Thanks so much for all your reviews - please let me know what you think of this last part!_

_And rest assured... there's a sequel in the works... so keep an eye out for that! I'm hoping it won't be too long before I can post it..._

_Thanks so much once again! You guys made this a very successful first fanfic! And I'd like to also thank the academy for -oops, sorry, never mind..._

_moogsthewriter_


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